CONFIRMED Kalvin Phillips

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Crying out for centre backs and we buy a defensive midfielder.

A few seasons ago we were praying for JO'C to get better and swapping out centrebacks to replace him and we signed Sander Berge.

Do we ever learn?
O'Connell got injured in June 2020. Either we or he didn't realise the severity of the injury and he made 7 further appearances for us before breaking down in September 2020 after two matches in the 2020/21 season.

You're correct that we solved problems which didn't exist in the summer of 2020 but that manifested in spending our entire transfer budget on an unproven young striker rather than splitting it between the centre half and central midfielder we were crying out for.

For what it's worth Berge signed in January 2020, six months before the initial O'Connell injury. He is also proving himself, as some sage posters on here have maintained since then, as one of the top flight's more accomplished central midfielders.
 
Joc got injured as civil started. I think the first game he didn't play was the villa game. We signed berge 5 months before
JOC played the full Villa game on September 21 2020.

We lost 1-0 and Egan was sent off.

I think he was injured in training after that game - collision with Henderson if I remember!

UTB & FTP!
 
JOC played the full Villa game on September 21 2020.

We lost 1-0 and Egan was sent off.

I think he was injured in training after that game - collision with Henderson if I remember!

UTB & FTP!
Might have gotten injured in training but it wouldn't have involved Henderson, our keeper in September 2020 would been Ramsdale.
 
This is Wilder's fantasy coming true

He's loved Phillips hard for years

So we're actually going for promotion. Aren't these owners a strange, unpredictable box of surprises

If it works out at all we're going to have an incredible midfield
 
This is Wilder's fantasy coming true

He's loved Phillips hard for years

So we're actually going for promotion. Aren't these owners a strange, unpredictable box of surprises

If it works out at all we're going to have an incredible midfield

and if Tom Davies worked out...

I'd be surprised if Phillips starts 10 games for us.
 
This is Wilder's fantasy coming true

He's loved Phillips hard for years

So we're actually going for promotion. Aren't these owners a strange, unpredictable box of surprises

If it works out at all we're going to have an incredible midfield
Agree - 4/5 years ago
 
and if Tom Davies worked out...

I'd be surprised if Phillips starts 10 games for us.
We've only got 16 matches left. That's 32 central midfield spots. If Riedewald takes one when he's fit, that's 14 taken but he's not going to start 3 in a week straight after injury so call it 12. The remaining 20 will be split between Phillips, Peck and Rothwell. This also has the huge advantage of taking the pressure off Oli Arblaster who's still in the early stages of his comeback from a horrible injury.

The loser in all this is Soumaré which is a bit of a pity as he's the only central midfielder we have whose first instinct is to go forward. All the others turn back and take the safe option (disclaimer: I know nothing of Rothwell).
 
Crying out for centre backs and we buy a defensive midfielder
I'd say we're crying out for a defensive midfielder too.

Si ce Jairo got injured we've looked fragile there.
Soumare got sent off. Arblaster shouldn't be starting the number of games he has been following a long Injury. Peck has just come back from a month out too
 



Crying out for centre backs and we buy a defensive midfielder.

A few seasons ago we were praying for JO'C to get better and swapping out centrebacks to replace him and we signed Sander Berge.

Do we ever learn?

Jairo has quite a few appearances at CB. He came through at Ajax as a CB and also played for Palace there a few times.

Perhaps if required he could step back into defence and Philips cover the DM position.
 
We've only got 16 matches left. That's 32 central midfield spots. If Riedewald takes one when he's fit, that's 14 taken but he's not going to start 3 in a week straight after injury so call it 12. The remaining 20 will be split between Phillips, Peck and Rothwell. This also has the huge advantage of taking the pressure off Oli Arblaster who's still in the early stages of his comeback from a horrible injury.

The loser in all this is Soumaré which is a bit of a pity as he's the only central midfielder we have whose first instinct is to go forward. All the others turn back and take the safe option (disclaimer: I know nothing of Rothwell).
Based on his highlight reel, the first thing Rothwell does when he gets the ball is drive forward.

I don't want to get ahead of myself but we'll easily have the best team in the league, maybe even the world
 
Jairo has quite a few appearances at CB. He came through at Ajax as a CB and also played for Palace there a few times.

Perhaps if required he could step back into defence and Philips cover the DM position.
At Leeds under Bielsa if Leeds played against a 2 striker formation Phillips dropped into the middle of a back 3 and if it was a 1 striker formation he just anchored the midfield as the lone DM. Wouldn't be ideal playing as a centre half but he has shown in the past he could if needed to
 
We've only got 16 matches left. That's 32 central midfield spots. If Riedewald takes one when he's fit, that's 14 taken but he's not going to start 3 in a week straight after injury so call it 12. The remaining 20 will be split between Phillips, Peck and Rothwell. This also has the huge advantage of taking the pressure off Oli Arblaster who's still in the early stages of his comeback from a horrible injury.

The loser in all this is Soumaré which is a bit of a pity as he's the only central midfielder we have whose first instinct is to go forward. All the others turn back and take the safe option (disclaimer: I know nothing of Rothwell).

Like I said, he'll probably not start 10.
 
Its the United way - bit like going to the Asda and digging into the cut price out of date section

True but it wasn’t that long ago that he’s was Southgate’s first name on the England team sheet and all the media loved him.

Remember at the time thinking he’s just a hard worker with a good engine…patrols defensive midfield really well….wins the ball then makes a simple short pass to someone better. There’s no denying he had a short spell of playing well for England but could never understand the exaggerated high praise…like he was a world beater.

Also couldn’t understand why Pep wanted to sign him….as mentioned he’s a good player
But more of an average standard PL player….nothing approaching world class…the level you would expect Man City to pay big money for.

He’s made loads of money in the game….being on a huge salary at Man City
But his career has totally stalled and he needs to drop down to Championship level to see if he can rebuild his damaged reputation.
If the price is right….then it’s a good signing because he’ll be desperate to impress and rebuild his reputation.
 
O'Connell got injured in June 2020. Either we or he didn't realise the severity of the injury and he made 7 further appearances for us before breaking down in September 2020 after two matches in the 2020/21 season.

You're correct that we solved problems which didn't exist in the summer of 2020 but that manifested in spending our entire transfer budget on an unproven young striker rather than splitting it between the centre half and central midfielder we were crying out for.

For what it's worth Berge signed in January 2020, six months before the initial O'Connell injury. He is also proving himself, as some sage posters on here have maintained since then, as one of the top flight's more accomplished central midfielders.

Fair shout but ...

At that particular time we had three, solid, proven centrebacks with Egan as the stay-at-home and O'Connell and Basham as the overlappers. Both could motor for big lads, both were skilful and could cross and both could track and defend. Across all three it was a 'single point of failure' matter. We'd binned Stearman (big mistake IMHO) and shipped out Cranie and Wright, bringing in Bryan and Jags neither of which (including Ampadu next season) could fulfil the role when O'Connell went down for good. Bash/Egan/O'Connell a terrific combination and if we switched to four-at-the-back due to suspensions, there was enough for them to hold out. But like when Maguire went to Hull, we missed that capability so much and it changed our fortunes, clearly in the 2020-21 season when we were relegated. If you fail to replace one-for-one in a winning team, you'll start losing and you simply HAVE to build from the back upfield these days.
 
Based on his highlight reel, the first thing Rothwell does when he gets the ball is drive forward.

I don't want to get ahead of myself but we'll easily have the best team in the league, maybe even the world
I think Pollster might disagree....like he does
 



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